George read murphy



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. R. MURPHY. MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING TORPEDOB S, &c.

No. 442,327. PatentedDec. 9', 18 90. I

v mam/ M m I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) G. R. MURPHY.

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING TOBPEDOES, &c. No. 442,327. Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

as l 6" w o I i m 'nesscst Jul/anion:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE READ MURPHY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING TORPEDOES, 80o.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,327, dated December 9, 1890.

Application filed December 17, 1889. Serial No, 334,076. (No model.)

, have invented certain Improvemen ts in Means and Mechanisms for Propelling, Controlling, Exploding, and Steering Torpedoes; andI do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement.

My invention relates to improvements in means and mechanisms for propelling, controlling, exploding, and steering torpedoes similar to those known as Whitbread torpedoes; and it consists in the application of certain novel features or mechanism hereinafter fully described, in combination with known means, devices, or appliances for more conveniently and readily propelling, steering,e1-rploding, and controlling torpedoes than heretofore either from the shore for harbor defense or from a ship attacking or defensive purposes.

My improvements further comprise certain internal arrangements for the purpose of facilitating the carrying out of the aboy'e-mentioned objects.

The motive power used for propelling my improved torpedo is compressed air, and one of the important features of my improvements is'the control of the admission of such compressed air to the engine by means of an electric motor.

The engine which I prefer to use for actuating the screw-propellers is Brotherhoods high-speed air-engine; but any other efficient air-engine maylikewise answer for the purpose of my invention.

My improved means for controlling torpe does consists of a flexible gutta-percha cable of a specific gravity equal to that of sea-water, or thereabout, part of which is coiled and stowed away in'the aft part of the torpedo,

separate part of my invention.

motors-is used, as already stated, for regulaterted upon such cable exceeds a pressure of from five to seven pounds. This cable contains three separately-insulated copper wires, by means of which the power necessary for controlling, raising, steering, and exploding is transmitted from the shore for harbor (lefense, which will be the application hereinafter referred to for convenience of descrip tion. One of the objects of this cable is to enable the torpedo to be recovered when practicing or when the charge is not exploded. For steering and raising purposes I make use of two rudders, a vertical and a horizontal rudder, the former serving to steer the vessel in any desired direction, while the latter enables the same to be raised from any depth to the surface of the water. The torpedo is sunk to the bottom of the sea or a river by allowing the air stored below the admission-pipe to'escape and water to take its place, and it is raised by opening the admission-pipe, when the compressed air admitted will force the water out, and thereby render the torpedo buoyant; or the latter may be caused to rise more Or less rapidly by suitably maneuvering the horizontal rudder. The depth which the torpedo has to reach is fixed or set by a depth-registering apparatus of ordinary construction carried in the vessel. The rudders are actuated by means of rods'set in motion by two electric motors and suitable bevel or other gear. The horizontal rudder is connected with a hydrostatic valve and balance actuated by one of the said electric motors. I

My improved torpedo is controlled, steered, raised, and exploded by means of three magnetoelectric motors driven from shore by the three copper wires of the above-mentioned cable. These magneto-electric motors may be of any suitable construction and form no,

ing the admission of compressed. air to the engine, and hence for controlling the speed of the torpedo. Another motor serves for actuating the rudder, and consequently for One of these steering the torpedo, in anydesire-d direction, while the third motor operates the horizontal. rudder, the wire transmitting the electric current thereto serving likewise to ignite the explosive charge. lhe electric currents act uating these three magneto-electric motors from the shore by means of the three copper wires inciosed in the cable aforesaid are produced by suitable batteries or by a dynamoelectric machine placed on shore and driven by any suitable motor, such as a water-wheel, windmill, or the like, actuated by water, wind, or any other source of power, which may be conveniently and inexpensively utilized. The electric currents are controlled and regulated by three switchesone for each wirethese switches eifecting the transmission of the electric currents of various intensities. Suitable devices may be used for reversing some of the currents, so that if a current of varying intensity is used to open more or less according to its intensity the compressed-air admission-valve a reverse current of varying intensity will be needed for closing the said valve more or less.

According to a modification of my invention I dispense with the hydrostatic valve and the horizontal rudder before mentioned, and I use instead a vessel or fioat resembling in form and shape that of the torpedo and provided with a compressed-air reservoir and a high-speed air-engine similar to those of the torpedo. This floating vessel is furnished with a fin and attached by a cable to the terpedo in such a manner that the propulsion of the former will be started as a consequence of the forward motion of the torpedo by means of a suitable valve operated by the latter during such motion. The object of this arrangement is to enable the float to have a certain velocity of its own, so that it shall not be a drag upon the torpedo, there being, however, a difference of about five knots between the speeds of the two vessels. I

Referring now more particularly to the constructive details of my improven1ents, my torpedo consists of a cigar shaped steel shell divided into six compartments 'or chambers, which, as arranged in successive order from fore to aft, contain the explosive charge, the compressed air, the high-speed air-engine, the depth-registering apparatus, the three electric motors, and the portion of the cable coiled or stowed away in the torpedo proper. It may be necessaryto vary this order; but in thelargestof my torpedoes it will be observed.

The fore part of the torpedo containing the explosive charge is furnished with a fuse and cap, by means of which it can be exploded when coming into contact with an obstacle, and this part is, moreover, detachable from the rest of the vessel, being only adjusted thereto at the time of starting in action.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I have shown the same in the two accompanying sheets of illustrative drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the figures.

Figure l, is a side view of my improved torpedo, showing diagrammatically the general arrangement of the various compartments or chambers. Fig. 2 is a plan of the torpedo. Fig. 3 is a top'vicw of the same, showing more particularly the mode of controlling the horizontal rudder by a hydro static valve. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of a portion of the vessel, showing more particularly the electric motors and some of the contents of the adjoiningcompartments or chambers. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the manner in which the cable is coiled or stowed away in the aft compartment of the vessel. and 8 show, respectively, in plan and longitudinal section the releasing-gear used for that part of the cable which is stowed in the vessel. Fig. 9 is a section on line a b of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 illustrates diagrammatically the electrical apparatus on shore, as well as the wire-connections between the land-battery switch and electric motors of the torpedo. Fig. 11 shows the float attached to the torpedo. Fig. 12 is a cross-section of the float on line as m of Fig. 11; and Fig. 13 is aportion of the side elevation of the float, showing the compressed-ai r chamber E.

As shown in Figs. 1,2, and 3, my improved torpedo consists of a cigar-shaped shell S, of steel or other suitable metal, divided internal-lyin six compartmentsA B O D E F. The compartmentA is designed to contain chiefly oneend portion of the cable X, made of guttapercha, india-rubber, or other suitable flexible material, which is coiled therein in the manner clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and contains the three line-wires W W W as shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10.

In Fig. 3 the compartment or chamber B contains the three magneto-electric motors M M M", Fig. 4. The. compartment 0 contains the apparatus for regulating the depth at which the torpedo has to be sunk or raised. This kind of apparatus is well known and need not be described or illustrated.

The compartment D contains a Brotherhood high-speed air-engine, and the'adjoining compartment E contains the compressed air, the admission-pipe P, which passes through the compartment D- and enters the compartment 0, being therein fitted with a suitable valve, opened or closed by the motor M", as shown in Fig. 4, and finally conveyed back to the compartment D, where it is connected to the inlet-opening of the engine. Lastly, the compartment or fore part F, which is detachable from the remaining parts of the torpedo, contains the explosive charge. This compartment chamber or casing F may be connected to the compartment E by any suitable spring-catch or screw-joint or in any other convenient manner, and has a fuse and cap f, by means of which the charge can be Figs. 7

tire of five or sevenpounds is applied thereto,

ea'aeer 3 exploded when the said .fore part F comes into contact with an oJ'Jstach-J Ithas' also a detonating-charge, which the motor M will at any time, at the will of the operator, cause to explode. The engine in compartment D drives the main shaft 0, whichrotates thetwo screw-propellers K, mounted thereon.

The cable at, one end of whichis, as above stated, coiled in compartment A, passes, Fig. 5, through the disengaging gear. or device shown separately in Figs. 7, .8, and, 9, and is finally led over a roller N, Fig. 4, in order to be paid out. This engaging gear consists of a tube 11:, containing a catch J, pivoted thereto'an'd held in a depressed position by a spring J, fixed on the top of the sametube. In thisposition the catch J bars thepassage of the bulb 10;", formed in any suitable manner upon the cable at, and isso regulated as to be raised when a tensile strain equivalent to a pressthe bulb being released and the cable consequently freed, ready for paying-out purposes.

In] order that the catch may be also raised when the ad mission-valve is fully opened and the torpedo is propelled at full speed, a Wire Kis attached to the end of the catch J, as shown, and passes over a pulley Z and through a s uitable, guard on the top of tube, conveying it to the said valve, to which his attached,

' motor M", pullsthis wire and raises the catch, thins, releasing the cable. Thisoable a: cont'ains, as above mentioned, three line-wires W I W. W", connected at one end with the three motors M-M' -Mf on board the torpedo and at the other with the shore battery or .dynamos Q thr'OUghIthI'QB switches, one of which '8 is The motor-M actuates by meansof the rod 0", cperated by the bevel-gearin g G, the vertical rud der of the torpedo, and according to the intensj' ityof the cnrrent're gulated by the switch S;the-said rudder is moved-to a greater or. I f 4151 less-extenti-none' direction, being; turned] in an ppesi e direction bya reversal of the currehteffect'ed byafsuitable commutator. The

explosive charge is ignited or exploded. bya

- raised to the surface.

'neuveifed hythe rod 'r, o'perated with the aidofjsuitablegearing bythe motor M, and is more or less turned i-n on'e or the other direc-* tion, according as a'direct or reversed current current in derivation from the main current sent-along. the line-wirewv' 'to,the motor M, which releasesa spring, or. many other suit-. er, all such detailsbeing well knownby electriciansandforming no distinctpartof'my invention.

- "hemotor M' actuatest-he' ho'rizontal rudder -I1I,--by,me.ans of which the torpedo can be This rudder H is ma of -great -or small intensity is sent through the second switch, the current being in the latter case-reversed by a suitable commutator. The

motor M" serves to "open and close the valve,- regulating' the'admission of compressed air to I declare that what I claim i's- 5 l vessels, the means for automatically releasing .under the application of a predetermined te tube, a. motor, and a connection between-said r the engine through. the pipeP, and is act uated by a current sent along the line-wire W through the third switch, such current being reversed by a suitablecommutator or spring when the valve has to be closed. This opening or closing of the valve by-the motor may be obviously carried out by any. suitable spring mechanism, which has no need to be shown on the drawings.

According to a modiflcation of myin'vention I dispense with the depth-registering apparatus and with the horizontal rudder and use instead afloat, as shown in Figs. 11, 12, and 13. This float is provided with an airengine and a reservoir- E, containing compressed air similar to those contained in the torpedo, and is thus furnished with power, which is an important feature of my invention. This float is attached to thetorpedo below by means of a cable in such manner that cock V, regulating the admission of the compressed air to the engine in the float, may be actuated thereby in any suitable manner as soon as the torpedo is propelled, so that the said float shall not be a heavy drag upon the torpedo, and shall have a speed inferior by about five knots an hour to that of the latter vessel. p

My improved float is provided with a top 9 fin T, which is intended to be always exposed above the water.

t is a spiral spring, one endof which is attached to a bracket fixed to the sides of the chamber E, while the other end'is secured to a lever fixed to the spindle of the cock V. A wire connection from this spring passes over. one rollerand under another, as shown at U in Fig. 13. This Wire is preferably inclo'sed in a tube. As it leaves the rollers, this wire is attached to my torpedo. proper.

Having now particularlydescribed andascertained the nature of m invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed,"

1. In torpedoes and other similar sub rin'e-vess'els, the cable transmitting the-e. tro motive force, combined, with the vli'ollo hull having a delivery-opening-and laid th inin parallel transverse layers thereto. shown, each layer consisting of straight: allelportions of t-hecab'le'to entirely fill chamber, the other end of the cable'pas through said opening and being" stored coiled on the shore or in a ship, substantially as set forth. I p

' 2,. In torpedoes and other similar submarine sion the cable stored or coiled therein, and' likewise'for releasing the same throng-lithe;

agency of the electric motor controlling the valve admittingthe fluid power to the engine; consisting of the cableprovided with abulb, a tube for the same, a resisting-catch inthe 13o catch and motor,wherebytl 1e latter may re- 7,

lease the former, substan tialiy as and for the In witness whereof I have hereunto set my purpose set forth. hand in presence of two witnesses.

3. The combination, with the torpedo, of a floating vessel carrying its own motivepower I GEORGE READ MURPHY. 5 engine and valve regulating the admission of such power'to the said engine, and a connee- VVit'nesses: tion between the said valve and the torpedo, GEORGE HENRY RAYNER, whereby the valve is opened by the tension 36 Great James St, London. exerted by the torpedo upon the said eonnecv FREDK. GEO. OASSELL, v IO tion, substantially as set forth; 37 Chancery Lane, London, 

